Realising Asset-Based Development and Local Potentiality: The Petal - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Realising Asset-Based Development and Local Potentiality: The Petal Model

Geoff Brown, Manager Rural Programme

Carnegie Commission for Rural Community Development – July 04 to June 07

Challenges and

• pportunities facing rural

communities across the UK and Ireland

A CHARTER FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES

GLASS HALF FULL?

Building Communities from the inside out (Kretzman and McKnight) Needs, deficiencies and problems OR Commitment to discovering a Community’s capacities and assets

Three main areas for uncovering community assets

• Residents
• Formal Institutions
• Informal organisations located within the

Community

‘Once we know the full breadth of people,

• rganisational and institutional resources that exist in

a community, we can then move forward in the direction

• f a needs assessment - In this way as needs are

uncovered, there is excellent information about the pool of people and groups who have the type of skills and interests needed to tackle these difficult issues.

These characteristics (petals) need to be seen holistically. They are interdependent, adding value to each

• ther.

The Petal Model: Characteristics

• f a Vibrant Rural Community

• Optimising Assets
• Achieving fairness for everyone
• Empowering local governance
• Increasing financial resources
• Enjoying locally relevant services
• Enriching social capital and well being
• Valuing local distinctiveness
• Developing reliable infra-structure
• Supporting dynamic local economy
• Enhancing environmental capacity

The usefulness of the Petal Model

• A Diagnostic tool
• A source of ideas
• The standards we use and a

check on our performance

But we need to try it out- suitably modified Looking for volunteers- on top of years

• f existing practice

The transformation of rural communities will also depend on three enabling factors (leaves)

• Realising participative community

planning

• Growing Capacity
• Building Capital

HOW CAN WE USE THE PETAL MODEL? Asset based orientation in general

Optimising Assets

• What people have we got?
• What skills and gifts do they have?
• What is good about this place?
• What are our strengths?
• What land and buildings do we have?
• What meeting places have we got?

Achieving Fairness for everyone

• Thinking about all parts of the

community of people

• Making a commitment to social

justice

• Equal opportunities, positive

discrimination

Empowering Local Governance

• Which organisation takes the lead?
• Representative and participatory

democracy

• Do we need new organisations?
• Community planning and

community action plans

Increasing Financial Resources Responsive grants system but income from activities and enterprise also

Enjoying Locally Relevant Services Essential services should be centrally supplied, but for non-essential services, co-production has great merit:

• Social enterprises
• Creating services that people need/want

locally

• Community facilities as multi-

service delivery points.

Social Capital and Well-being

• Harnessing the rich social capital of

many areas; but need access to skilled help

• Importance of quality of life indicators

Local Distinctiveness

• Place as a focus for development
• What’s special about where we

live

• Harnessing our sense of place
• Developing local pride in place
• Creating opportunities for

sustainable tourism

Developing Reliable Infrastructure

• New transport infrastructure

(paths, cycle-ways and community transport)

• Affordable housing via community land

trusts

Dynamic Local Economy

• Localisation, food and fuel ‘farming

renaissance’

• Eco-system services
• What rural areas provide for society

as a whole

Enhancing Environmental Capacity

Reducing carbon footprint, renewable energy etc

The Gigha Story- Faith, Hope and Charity Using asset development and an asset-approach as the basis of wider community (economic) development